Fatal Chhattisgarh Road Collision Claims Five Lives; DRI Busts Pangolin Scale Smuggling Ring

A devastating road accident in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to five others after an SUV collided with a truck. The victims, residents of West Bengal, were en route to Bilaspur to catch a train to Kolkata, following a visit to Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The collision occurred near Akalgharia village, with the SUV carrying ten passengers. Concurrently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Hyderabad seized 6.53 kilograms of Indian Pangolin scales in Hanamkonda, Telangana, as part of a crackdown on wildlife trafficking. Four individuals were apprehended in connection to the illegal trade, estimated to involve the poaching of approximately five Indian Pangolins. Pangolins are highly trafficked mammals, hunted for their scales, which are in demand in international markets.